Tata News

The bargain basement end of the ute market is set to be joined by a new cut-price competitor from India. The Tata brand is returning to Australia but the vehicle it is most famous for — the tiny Nano city runabout, at $2800 the cheapest car in the world — will not be among the models for sale.Tata is expected to relaunch with a new range of utes called the Xenon later this year before adding passenger cars next year. Prices and model details of the ute are not yet announced but the company said the range “will offer a greater level of value than what is currently available in the market”. The prices of Chinese utes start at $17,990.Tata vehicles have been sold on and off in Australia since 1996 after a Queensland distributor began importing them mainly for farm use. There are an estimated 2500 Tata heavy-duty pick-ups on Australian roads already. But there are many more Indian-made cars on Australian roads, albeit with foreign badges. More than 20,000 Indian-made Hyundai i20 hatchbacks and more than 14,000 Indian-made Suzuki Alto small cars have been sold in Australia since 2009.But other, Indian-branded vehicles have not been so successful. Australian sales of the Mahindra range of utes and SUVs have been so weak the distributor is yet to report them to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.The original Mahindra ute scored a poor two stars out of five in independent crash tests and was later upgraded to three stars following engineering changes. The Mahindra SUV launched with a four-star rating at a time when most vehicles are awarded five stars. There is as yet no star-rating for crash safety on the new Tata ute range.However, the new distributor for Tata vehicles in Australia believes the origin of the vehicles will be a competitive advantage. “There is no tougher place on earth to test vehicles than on the tough and demanding roads of India,” said the newly-appointed distributor of Tata vehicles in Australia, Darren Bowler, of Fusion Automotive.Tata Motors — India’s largest automobile company — acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company in June 2008, in the grip of the Global Financial Crisis. The acquisition gave Tata access to Jaguar and Land Rover designers and engineers but Tata is yet to release an all-new model with their input. The Tata Xenon ute was released in 2009 and is also sold in South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, the Middle East, Italy and Turkey.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The Nano micro car sells for the equivalent of around $2770 in India, making it the world’s cheapest production car. However that price could rise for a new model Tata is talking about taking into the US and Europe.Tata chairman Ratan Tata told industry journal Automotive News he plans to launch the Nano in the US within three years, and will follow with a venture into European markets. The Nano was originally designed to compete in the Indian market against scooters and motorcycles, but relatively higher prices compared to two-wheel rivals has seen just 175,000 sales to India’s population of 1.2 billion.Launched in 2009, the Nano uses a range of cost-cutting measures to keep the price down. The boot doesn't open – you access it by folding the rear seats down from inside the car -- there is no power steering (deemed unnecessary because of its light weight), a single windscreen wiper, one side mirror instead of two and three nuts instead of four or five on the wheels.There is no airbag or ABS and the tiny 624cc two-cylinder rear-mounted engine puts out just 24kW and 48Nm with a claimed economy of less than 4.0 litres per 100km. The Nano has a four-speed manual transmission, driving the rear wheels.In the Indian home market there is a mid-specced model with air-conditioning while the luxury LX adds power windows and central locking. The models being developed for export markets are expected to be slightly larger with a bigger three-cylinder engine, ABS and at least two airbags to meet safety regulations.Tata’s plans for export are for the moment looking only at left-hand drive markets, so it’s unlikely we’ll see the Nano in Australian showrooms – even if it passed Australia’s fairly stringent design and safety regulations. 

The Tata Nano usually sells in India for the equivalent of about $2800, and was designed to an affordable ‘people’s car’ for the country’s poorer populace. However this one has been encrusted with 80kg of gold, 15kg of silver and several million dollars worth of precious stones and pearls. The car was unveiled by Ratan Tata, head of the giant Tata Group that now also owns British brands Jaguar and Land Rover – and by the look of it, is cashed-up enough to invest heavily in their future development. The design on the car was chosen from three finalists by public poll, with the winning design getting more than 2 million votes. The car was decorated by the Indian jewelry chain, Goldplus, and unveiled at Mumbai’s Tata Theatre, but will leave from there on a six-month tour of India. No doubt it will bring shining joy to the underpaid out in some of the poverty-stricken areas.

... but no supercar can turn on a dime like the Tata "Pixel" concept.Shown at Geneva motor show, the Pixel is a 3m long city car based on the Tata Nano and has a unique, UK-invented "zero turn" drive system.It allows the four-seater car to turn almost within its own length and makes a doddle of parking in congested European city streets - which is exactly where Tata is targeting the car.The steering agility is attributed to a new transmission from UK-based - but majority owned by Allison Transmission of the US - company Torotrak which has its technology on machinery including lawn mowers and industrial vehicles.Torotrak's "infinitely variable transmission" has a spin-on-the-spot functionality which - at low vehicle speeds - controls each rear wheel independently. It allows the wheels to turn in opposite directions.The result is a turning circle of 5.2m compared with most small cars at about 9m.Tata Motors CEO, Carl-Peter Forster, says there is "an opportunity in Europe for a city car, which is optimal in space, manoeuvrability and environment-friendliness.""The Tata Pixel is a reflection of Tata Motors - idea of what such a car should be."But there's no conformation that the Pixel will become reality.Tata, which also owns Jaguar Land Rover, has boasted that the Pixel is the world's most space-efficient four-seat car. It has features including scissor doors to make ease of entry and exit in tight spaces.Power comes from a three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbo-diesel that is mounted in the rear.Tata claims an average fuel economy of 3.4 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of just 89g/km.The car also showcases "My Tata Connect" which integrates the owner's smartphone or iPad with the vehicle's infotainment system and also allows control of the car's key functions."This provides a customised, user friendly, all-in-one touch screen display, while also allowing the driver to remain seamlessly connected to the external world in much the same way as they would be when at home or in the office, listening to favourite songs, internet news and sport or stock updates," Tata says."In addition to serving as the infotainment display when docked in the instrument panel, the tablet also allows temperature, ventilation and airconditioning settings to be adjusted through its touch screen, as well as displaying information on the vehicle's performance."

The newcomer will be smaller and cheaper than today's Colt, which opens the action for Mitsubishi in Australia from $15,740, and should be ready for the road inside two years.  The codename for the project is 'Global Small' and it's a personal priority for the president of Mitsubishi Motors, Osamu Masuko. "The key issue facing the industry at the moment is increased demand from new markets - emerging economies - while sales in mature markets remain static. Increased environmental concerns have also become a major issue," Masuko tells Australian journalists. "These two factors are affecting the way we do business and have seen, globally, a shift from large passenger vehicles to smaller, more efficient and economical cars. In developing countries we believe the sales and importance of these vehicles will rise.  It is believed the growth segment will be small cars." He believes there is now an opportunity for a smaller car than the Colt, although he rules out anything as basic as the Tata Nano developed to take Indians off their bicycles and into cars.  "The size of the Global Small will be smaller than the Colt and the price will also be cheaper," he says. Masuko also confirms there will eventually be a plug-in electric version.  "We are also going to launch with an EV, one year later. Of course, it will come to Australia." Masuko says Mitsubishi plans to grow its global following with a range of vehicles which bring new customers to the brand.  "To to now, Mitsubishi is seen as having its strength in four-wheel drives. What we would like to build on, as a company, is to have vehicles which are sporty and emotional." He also confirms plans for strategic product alliances with other brands - such as the one Mitsubishi already has with Peugeot - to shortcut development times and boost its production numbers.  "From now on we are still going to be look at a lot of alliances," he says.

Active safety features like electronic stability control are bypassing the most-needed segment in the car market - budget cars, according to Singapore-based engineering executive, Robert Tan.With the global explosion of new budget cars from markets like India and China, these systems are critical to help save lives, particularly among younger buyers looking for a cheap car, he says.  "Governments need to be more pro-active to add these potentially life-saving devices into ultra-low and low-cost cars," he says."It's not happening fast enough on low-cost cars, those under $15,000."  Tan cost prohibited the full suite of safety features migrating from high-end luxury cars to mid to low-end vehicles.Such systems are accepted in high-end luxury cars from Mercedes-Benz but remain out of reach on cars like the Tata Nano, he says.  Tan is the engineering director of automotive electronics company Infineon Technologies, which builds safety systems for cars.Unlike passive safety systems like airbags, which only come into use during an accident, Tan says active safety systems are just as important.  "They help drivers avoid an accident in the first place," he says.He argues that seatbelt reminder lights and active brake lights are relatively cheap to install on low-cost cars, yet very few have them.  Tan also wants intelligent speed limiters, drowsiness detection devices and brake assist systems in budget cars."They are proven to work in high-end cars but are largely unavailable on low-cost cars," he says.  These systems could be piggy-backed on to existing technologies that are already in some cars, he says.All these things could create an "electronic safety cocoon" for occupants.  European figures already show that electronic stability control systems have helped reduce fatal accidents by more than 30 per cent.Australia will mandate ESC on all cars and off-roaders from November next year and all vehicles from November 2013.  Tan, who was in Melbourne this week to address a Society of Automotive Engineers Australia safety conference, concedes that cost remains a big hurdle to some of the newer safety systems."It is difficult to develop something like radar cruise control on a $5000 vehicle," he says.  However, he says there is no reason low-cost cars should not get seatbelt reminders, speed limiters and brake assist."The challenges are cost, then there is original equipment maker acceptance and consumer acceptance," he says.  "Lastly legislation - without legislation there would be no pro-active safety systems."

Indian specialist customiser, DC Design, is working on a Suzuki Hayabusa-powered Nano that will cost $240,000 and hit 225km/h.  DC Design has taken a stock-standard four-door Nano and converting it into a souped-up two-door racer. Looking like a Smart ForTwo on steriods, the car gets Mercedes SLS AMG-style gullwing doors, along with a light-weight carbon fibre body.  The minute 25kW 624cc engine has been ripped out, along with the rear seats, to fit the 147kW 1.3-litre Hayabusa four. To match the high-powered motorcycle engine, the nifty Nano also gets a seven-speed sequential gearbox, cross-drilled ventilated F1-style brakes, wider tyres and re-engineered sports suspension.  To cope with the hot-rod performance, the standard suspension has been completely re-engineered. Inside the bare-basic interior has been ditched in favour of a leather-lined cabin.  The car gets sports seats, a large screen to operate internet and satellite navigation systems and embedded lighting in the roof lining. There are also high-powered xenon headlights and an articulated one-piece windscreen wiper.  Electro-chromatic lighting will allow owners to change the intensity and colour of interior lighting. The head of DC Design, Dilip Chhabaria, says the company will build up to five hot Nanos a year for wealthy Indian clients. There are no plans for exports.  The chassis and car's floorpan will be largely the same.  "But apart from than that everything will be different," he says. DC Design is one if India's largest auto accessory makers.  It also specialises in customising cars for India's well-heeled car enthusiasts.

The Ford Figo - based on the previous generation Fiesta - was designed by Ford Australia, lead by head designer Scott Strong.  It has been re-engineered tougher to compete in India's small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the new vehicle market. The Figo is one of a handful of mini and micro cars launched to rave reviews at this week's New Delhi show.  Apart from the Figo, Honda's ‘new small concept’ and Toyota's Etios sedan made their world debuts.  Designed to tackle the Tata Nano, the low-cost production version of the Honda will initially be sold in India but other Asian export markets are planned.  The 1.2-litre front wheel drive five-door hatch is expected to go on sale in India next year, with a starting price of about $11,000.   Apart from India, the small Honda is tipped to be built in Thailand and could also be sold here. Maruti-Suzuki, which dominates the Indian new car market, showed off its R3 MPV six-seater concept which looks similar to the just-launched Opel Meriva.The Etios - which was codenamed EFC for entry family car - could make it to Australia as a replacement for the Yaris.  The entry four-door sedan is designed to compete against the Suzuki Swift and goes on sale in India later this year, with a hatch to follow in 2011. The Etios will be powered by two new 1.2 and 1.5-litre petrol engines, with production initially destined for the Indian market but exports are planned.  Toyota vice-chairman, Kazuo Okamoto, says India is a key market in the company's global small car strategy.  It was also one of the few countries experiencing growth, he says. Apart from a host of micro and small cars, electric vehicles also made a show splash.  Renault launched its two-seater Twizy electric ahead of its global launch in 2012.  The two-seater Twizy is one of four full electric cars that Renault unveiled recently and is being displayed outside Europe for the first time. General Motors India is working with the Indian-based Reva Electric car company to launch an electric version of the Spark - expected to be Holden's next-generation Barina - towards the end of this year and Hyundai Motor India, the country's second largest carkmaker is showing of an electric version of its i10 hatch. Maruti-Suzuki also unveiled the SX4 hybrid, using a 1.2-litre four cylinder engine and 50kW electric motor mated to a CVT transmission.

It seems the head of the Indian Tata Group, Ratan Tata, is keen to turn his low-cost Nano into hybrid with cutting edge stop-start technology.  He has confirmed in an interview with a South Korean newspaper that a hybrid is planned.The baby 24kW two-cylinder petrol Nano was developed for India initially with a target price of 100,000 rupees, or $2500.  Since it went on sale earlier this year, sales gone wild and the waiting list is now out to several months.It has no real competition in its home market, where most Indians ride motorcycles or bicycles.  The rear-engined car is still some way from being certified for sale in any countries outside India.But Tata, which also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, has subjected the Nano to a round of frontal-offset crashes at England's MIRA vehicle research centre.  The car passed under the supervision of Britain's Vehicle Certification Authority.The Tata Group plans a bigger engined Europa model for export markets, with more safety gear and equipment to compete against Western competition.

Without fanfare the Indian-built Tata Nano has taken some giant strides towards silencing critics of its safety and possibly finding a home in Australia by passing a series of Euro crash tests with flying colours. While the car is still some way away from being certified for sale in any markets outside of India the company chose to subject a Nano to a round of frontal offset crashes at England's MIRA vehicle research centre under the supervision of Great Britain's Vehicle Certification Authority. Tata spokesman Debasis Ray says the decision to put the Tata through the test process was to signal to the rest of the world that the company was serious about taking the tiny five-seater outside the Sub-Continent. "The purpose of the tests that we subjected the Tata Nano to at MIRA was to demonstrate that the vehicle structure is appropriate for European legislation," Ray says. "The tests indeed proved that. "Tata Motors has already developed a model for Europe, the Tata Nano Europa, which is expected to be launched in the continent in 2011 and the company is also developing a model for the US, expected to be launched after Europe." While Ray stopped short of confirming a development program for Nano sales to Australia he did say that overseas sales would not stop with the giant European and US markets. "There are indeed plans to market the Nano in other countries as well, but specifics on markets and timelines are yet to be concluded." What makes the MIRA tests more impressive is that the car which passed the 56km/h 40 per cent offset frontal and side impact tests was not the one under development for Europe but rather a slightly modified Indian domestic model with a drivers airbag and an extra front strengthening member behind the front bumper. The next step for the Nano is to undergo full Euro NCAP testing on the more luxurious Europa model, something the company hopes to do soon with an expected four-star outcome. Launched earlier this year to runaway demand in India the Nano's designers used a range of innovative cost-cutting measures to ensure the entry-level car met its stated 100,000 rupee ($2500) price. The Nano's boot doesn't open, with access gained to the luggage compartment by folding the rear seats down from inside the car, there is no power steering, a single windscreen wiper, one side mirror instead of two and three nuts instead of four or five on the wheels. There is no airbag or ABS and the tiny two-cylinder rear-mounted engine puts out just 24kW and 48Nm with a claimed economy of less than 4.0 litres per 100km. In the Indian home market there is a mid-specced model with air-conditioning while the luxury LX (170,000 rupees) adds power windows and central locking. The models being developed for overseas markets are expected to be slightly larger with a bigger three-cylinder engine, ABS and at least two airbags.